Queensland has decisively rejected Labor, reducing them to a political rump which may not even achieve party status (10 or more seats in the new parliament).

While State issues have strong influence in State elections this is a severe repudiation of Labor and its National policies  notably the despised carbon tax and the assault on State revenues through an additional profits tax on mining States main exports of coal and iron ore (mainly afflicting Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia).

Watch for Federal Labor to blink and delay the proposed carbon tax until the next election (which they will inevitably lose short several industrial-grade miracles).

Politicians globally are likely to take this bloodbath as a warning  voters will not tolerate enormous and entirely pointless energy taxes imposed to address a problem which does not exist.

This is the beginning of the political demise of global warming, carbon constraint and energy rationing. Moreover voters have severely thrashed the anti-development Greens and obstructive environmentalism.

Not sure what the significance is of this? Australia is a big Country, do the they have the equivalence of the North / South - Conservative / Left regions where one can expect an outcome?

Sort of.

We have six states and two territories.

Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland (the west and north of the country) tend to be the most conservative. The south eastern states - New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, and Tasmania, are somewhat less so. New South Wales and Victoria are, by a fair margin, the most populous and most powerful states

This election has taken place in Queensland and that is reflected in the size of the conservative majority. But over the last couple of years, conservative governments have been returned in Victoria (just), Western Australia, and New South Wales. Labor has held on - just - in South Australia and Tasmania.

So, basically, most of the states are now in the hands of conservatives.

Federally, Labor is in severe trouble - they have a minority government which is only in power with the assistance of a Green and some independents - and the polls indicate that at the next election, they will be defeated in a landslide - not on the scale of Queensland, but a landslide nonetheless. But the election isn't due until the end of next year.

26
posted on 03/26/2012 1:37:37 AM PDT
by naturalman1975
("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)

Not sure what the significance is of this? Australia is a big Country, do the they have the equivalence of the North / South - Conservative / Left regions where one can expect an outcome?

Sort of.

We have six states and two territories.

Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland (the west and north of the country) tend to be the most conservative. The south eastern states - New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, and Tasmania, are somewhat less so. New South Wales and Victoria are, by a fair margin, the most populous and most powerful states

This election has taken place in Queensland and that is reflected in the size of the conservative majority. But over the last couple of years, conservative governments have been returned in Victoria (just), Western Australia, and New South Wales. Labor has held on - just - in South Australia and Tasmania.

So, basically, most of the states are now in the hands of conservatives.

Federally, Labor is in severe trouble - they have a minority government which is only in power with the assistance of a Green and some independents - and the polls indicate that at the next election, they will be defeated in a landslide - not on the scale of Queensland, but a landslide nonetheless. But the election isn't due until the end of next year.

27
posted on 03/26/2012 1:37:47 AM PDT
by naturalman1975
("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)

You can get a one year tourist visa now. Just be prepared for a real shock on food and fuel pricing. Its on a different scale than America.
If you do visit try out a new hobby like gold prospecting, many places you can rent a detector and you have a good chance on finding nuggets.

I've been trying to convince my husband to purchase a place in Queensland for retirement. If Obama gets a second term, he may finally agree. Of course, when I started the campaign to buy there, it was much cheaper......::sigh::

32
posted on 03/26/2012 8:14:55 AM PDT
by liberalh8ter
(Barack has a memory like a steel trap; it's a gift ~ Michelle Obama)

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